In Another World
by LovelyFarron
Summary: But for a moment, as Lin Beifong stared up at the infamous Equalist leader, her heart in a blaze, adrenaline pumping through her veins, her mind and body consumed with hate and loathing and fear and acceptance of her inevitable fate, she allowed herself to drift and wander, to look back on her long life of solitude and loneliness, to ponder the could-have-beens and the what-ifs.


Cartoon: Avatar: The Legend of Korra

Pairing: Tenzin/Lin Beifong

Genre: Romance/Angst

Rating: T

A/N: Even before it was revealed on the show that Tenzin and Lin used to be an item I had a feeling that they had a history. It made me giggle with pleasure when it was officially announced though I must admit. One of my favorite TLAB couples was Aang/Toph so I was elated to find out that their kids had had a romantic interest in each other. Maybe I'm just a dork that way.

In Another World

In another world Tenzin and Lin Beifong had stayed together. In another world the Airbending heir and Metalbending protégé had worked out their differences to some degree and managed to form some sort of familial unit. In another world things had turned out differently for the both of them, not necessarily better, but different.

But this was not that world. And he was not hers.

But for a moment, as Lin Beifong stared up at the infamous Equalist leader, her heart in a blaze, adrenaline pumping through her veins, her mind and body consumed with hate and loathing and fear and acceptance of her inevitable fate, she allowed herself to drift and wander, to look back on her long life of solitude and loneliness, to ponder the _could-have-beens _and the _what-ifs._

She didn't regret it, what she had done with her life. Far from it actually. She had served the people of Republic City well and with pride; she had honored her mother's memory and become the best of the best, not letting anyone look down on her because she was a woman or feel sorry for her because her beautiful face had been marred in a vicious attack. To serve and protect, to uphold the law and deal out justice, that was her mission in life, what made up the very core of her being. Take that away from her and underneath she was just a very lonely, very angry little girl.

Tenzin had warned her about that actually, had cautioned her from a very young age to not bury herself too deeply into her work and become invested to the point where she kept her feelings and emotions pent up. She had scoffed of course and laughed at him, calling him silly and ridiculous and "Mr. Spiritual" but, in hindsight, he had been right. In some respects, she had buried herself in the role of Chief of the Metalbending Corps, had shaped herself to become the perfect fighter so as to live up to her mother's legendary name. She had always felt that duty and honor were the most important things in one's life and in this, as well as many other things, Tenzin and she had disagreed.

They had always been different, he and she, and it had been said that opposites attract and they had indeed been attracted to one another but sometimes two opposite things were just too opposite. Sometimes the puzzle pieces just didn't fit and trying to force them together would only cause them to break at the edges, making it nearly impossible for them to fit anywhere else.

A slight pang in her heart almost caused her to lose her composure but she kept up her steely-eyed charade, letting the damaged man before her know that she was not afraid of him despite of the fact that he could take away everything that made her her. She was a little surprised, actually, to find that here, at the end of her bending days instead of looking back fondly on her time as one of the world's best Earthbenders or looking forward and nearly caving in with dismay at the long non-Bending road ahead of her but instead she was allowing herself to drift away, to be carried away on the currents of time and space to a place where she had lived a very, very different life.

She could see it clearly in her mind's eye, the life that could have—and almost had been—hers. She could see herself on the night of the big breakup, the final blow in a long line of arguments, between her and Tenzin. Her hair was a big longer than it was now, thick and glossy in all its raven-black glory. Tenzin's face was clear of beard and his strong, muscular jaw was working overtime as his face got progressively redder with frustration. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she didn't need to know. She'd been through it all before of course and could still taste the bitter words on her mouth and feel the tearing in two of her fragile heart. Sometimes, on the nights when she was particularly restless or disturbed, that horrid ordeal floated back to her in her dreams, haunting her and giving her not a moment's peace of mind.

But this world, this one that she was watching, was not her own. The two she watched were indeed Tenzin and herself but they were not at the same time. Instead of giving up, instead of throwing away years and years of history and foolish childhood romance, teenage experimentation, and young adult follies, these two worked it out. She wasn't quite sure what had been different between them, but something had, instead of warping and snapping, been clumsily glued together into something that wasn't quite what they'd had before but was close enough to it that they could continue on.

She could see them, this other Tenzin and other Lin, deciding to get married or doing something that was closely related to marriage. Lin had felt that she was never the marrying and settling-down type and she could see that this other Lin felt the same way. She was independent and didn't want to be tied down; yes, she loved Tenzin but she also loved being herself and the autonomy that provided her with. Marriage meant coming together as one, to be bonded in holy matrimony and to start thinking about someone other than herself. She didn't know if she could handle that.

It wasn't that she didn't think of Tenzin; in fact, he filled her thoughts more often that she was comfortable admitting, even to herself. She was concerned for his welfare and general wellbeing, but marriage…It was something different, something foreign and scary. Perhaps the fear stemmed from the situation regarding her own mother and father, but regardless of where it had come from it was a fear that she was unwilling to admit having. Fear was weakness and she was not weak.

Tenzin of course tried his best to persuade her, not understanding her misgivings and refusals to taking his hand in marriage. He was almost timid in his approach though, almost as if he was afraid that if he pushed too hard that their loosely connected puzzle pieces would figure out that they were not meant to be and all the time they'd spent together, all the things they'd done, all the rules they'd broken, all the memories they'd made would mean nothing and would simply be regrets of days gone by.

So this other Tenzin and other Lin had gotten married or whatever it was and soon after a new issue had approached them—where to live? The other Lin seemed to be as dedicated to Republic City as Lin was and other Tenzin as dedicated to promoting spiritualism and reviving the Airbending nation as Tenzin was. Their arguments concerning about where to reside were similar to the ones they had had about marriage; they were soft and quiet, restrained rage and passion brewing beneath the surfaces of both individuals but never surfacing. The quiet tension was thick in the air and was enough to nearly suffocate Lin, the Lin kneeling and broken and defeated, even though it was all in her head.

Eventually they agreed on having two houses, one on Air Temple Island and another in Republic City. This decision, however, did not come without its consequences. Being the children of two of the world's most famous heroes neither one had ever enjoyed much privacy when it came to the press. From early ages they had been plastered across newspaper fronts and talked about on radio shows. When they had started dating the press had literally almost eaten them alive—how juicy it was! The Avatar's and the Blind Earthbending Master's children! Together! It was sensational, exciting, too good to be true!

If there was one thing that both Tenzin and Lin (both versions of them) had known it was that the journalists loved news like that and could build or destroy someone's reputation based on what they reported, wheter it was true or not. So when it was discovered that the newly-weds had purchased separate houses…nasty rumors of infidelity were bound to pop up. The other Lin, with a bit of irritation, and other Tenzin, with a bit of somber acceptance, had resigned to the fact that they could never be at either house without the other one there.

Naturally, after settling on living arrangements, the talk of children had come up. The other Lin had been dreading this discussion, perhaps because she was young and vibrant in her ways still, but Lin could remember feeling the same way. Now of course she regretted it, not having her own children to pass on her teachings to. Her mother had always told her it was fine to not get married, that it was alright if she didn't want to raise a family. There was no law that said she had to. Lin wistfully wished that her mother had imparted on her the joys of raising a child though; she had always thought that it would be a drag and that a child would keep her from reaching her full potential. Watching Tenzin and his family though…she had come to realize how wrong she was in her thinking. Of course raising children was no walk in the park either and when she had helped out around Air Temple Island as Chief Babysitter of the Airbending Brats (o.k., so maybe that was a little harsh) she had realized how much children could truly wear someone out.

Looking back, that was probably why she never had them. There wasn't really any place for children in her line of work, no time to give them the proper care they needed. The law or the children would be neglected ultimately and she had been afraid to discover which one she would abandon. And, she admitted grimly to herself, she wasn't really the mothering type.

The arguments about starting a family rose to new heights between other Lin and other Tenzin, the ferocity building up in intensity comparable to that of the Big Breakup. It was something both were passionate about, something that both had something to say on. Having children was no small deal; they would be raising the future for the Avatar's sake! Perhaps, though, all the tension they had spent not arguing since their almost final breakup had built up, had reached the boiling point and was going to bubble over and burn whoever happened to try and stop it.

Lin watched in fascination—yes, this was it, she thought sadly to herself as she watched her doppelganger, this was the end. There was no way for her and Tenzin to coexist peacefully, not in this world or any other. They could be friends and allies, yes, but lovers and equal partners? No. They were too different, saw the world through different colored lenses. Neither one had the correct view of course, neither one was better in their understanding of how things worked or what needed to be done. They were just different. As different as night and day, Earth and Air. And it pained her so. But…why did it?

Lin sucked in a shaky breath as the drama of the other Lin and other Tenzin continued to play out in front of her. They were shouting now, other Lin's thin eyebrows furrowed together into the sternest of frowns, Tenzin's now slightly hairy chin clamped shut as he tried to bite back the words sitting on the edge of his tongue.

Lin couldn't help but smile inside slightly. Tenzin hated conflict like this, hated fighting with those he cared about. This other Tenzin was no different. She didn't expect the two to be different really but in some ways she did; they were from other worlds after all.

That night the other versions of them spent time alone in their difference houses for the first time. Lin watched with a sort of sad detachment as the two lived a part, day by day. Their misery was evident, the hurt tearing at their very hearts. Other Lin stopped eating as much and began to throw herself into her work almost viciously; she hunted down criminals like they were her prey and she some fierce predator. Never before had Lin seen herself like this, never before had Lin seen such agony and frustration and pain written across her face. Even if this was other Lin it was still her after all.

In the back of the mind she wondered briefly if this would have happened to her and her Tenzin should they have pursued each other. Perhaps she had had some sort of foresight that this would have happened and had saved herself the trouble and obvious gut-wrenching torment that the other Lin was in. Perhaps she and Tenzin were not meant to be.

The press for some odd reason left them alone; perhaps other Tenzin had done some spiritual mumbo-jumbo and convinced them to lay off lest his marriage be ruined for good. Of course neither one would ever cheat on the other but it would still cause damage should the press even mention such a thing.

Time passed, be it days, months, years, Lin didn't know. Nor did she care. All she cared about was the state that her other self was in, the heartache that she was suffering through. She was strong through it all of course and did not even give a hint to her subordinates as to her emotional state but something inside of her was broken, irreparably torn. Even if she and other Tenzin did reconcile there was a chance she would not make a full recovery. Affairs of the heart were tricky and not easy to get over; triggers could lead people down unpleasant paths on memory lane and make them relive the most terrible times, thus renewing and empowering their inner agony.

The other Lin looked weary and rundown, aged well beyond her years but some stupid emotions that she couldn't seem to get under control. In reality, they weren't stupid but she viewed them that way. Emotions got in the way of duty and when they started to affect how one worked in a negative way it was unacceptable. Lin had nothing against using rage to fuel her in fights but over time rage and hate and anger could mess someone up pretty good inside. They could fester and boil and grow in intensity, sucking the very life out of the one harboring those strong feelings. They then became something bad, something that was not needed, and something that must be dealt with. Lin knew that and so did the other Lin, but other Lin seemed unwilling or maybe incapable of taking care of it.

Perhaps that was what love did to one though, perhaps it was meant to mess people up inside and screw things up, changing them and breaking them and doing all sorts of things that it was and was not supposed to. And yes, it was love that other Lin felt for other Tenzin and after all these years, maybe it was even what Lin felt for her Tenzin…

_No_.

Lin quickly shook the idea out of her head. No, it wasn't right. He was another woman's, another love's. He was not hers and never would be, not now, not ever, and perhaps not even in this strange world…

With a renewal of determination, Lin continued watching the sad scene in her mind.

It wasn't just anger's range of feelings that was bugging other Lin it seemed upon further inspection of the worn down Chief; it was also the feelings of hopelessness and despair, of failure and rejection, and…doubt.

Lin shivered.

_Doubt_. Perhaps mankind's greatest enemy. Doubt, even more so than rage and despair, could really trap and destroy someone. Doubt gave way to fear and fear could leave one rooted in one place, never to advance or step foot out into the sunlight again. It could control one, manipulate one, make one believe things that weren't true. And, over time, it would lead one to even doubt one's spouse and their intentions.

Thoughts flew through other Lin's mind at a speed that she could not control them, the doubt and fear gnawing at her gut and making her waste away to nothing—was she not good enough for Tenzin? Was she not good enough for Republic City? Where had she gone wrong? Was she wrong in her thinking? Was she too stubborn? Was Tenzin wrong? Was he right? Did he even think of her now? Where was he? Would he come back?

Other Lin sighed and slumped in her seat, alone in the interrogation room at headquarters. Lately it had been the only place that she had been able to clear her mind in, the only place that didn't scream of him. She couldn't stand being in that big empty house without him, couldn't stand sleeping in a bed without his warmth there. She was frustrated with herself and him; angry that they'd split, angry that she couldn't do her job anymore, angry that she had let herself fall so hard and get so messed up.

It was all her fault and she knew it. She wasn't able to bend or give, wasn't able to give up her dreams and aspirations. She couldn't just quite the force, she just _couldn't _and she certainly did not want to raise children and divide her time between duty and them. It wouldn't be fair for anyone, not the citizens of Republic City, not the children, not Tenzin, and not herself.

Other Lin licked her lips and blinked her eyes quickly, trying to make the tears stinging her eyes go away. She looked up at the decorative metal sealing, not really seeing the intricate designs woven into them. Her heart and her mind were somewhere else, somewhere far away from all the hurt she had put herself through. What had she been thinking? Marrying the Avatar's son, a man who needed to procreate to continue the dying Airbender line…It wasn't fair to him to be stuck with someone like her, someone who was rigid in her thinking and uncompromising, someone who saw everything in black and white. Maybe he could see a compromise, a situation where both her job and children could receive the attention they deserved, but she did not. But then again…she hadn't really given him the opportunity to explain himself that night…

Other Lin squeezed her eyes shut and Lin felt her heart breaking in two again. This woman was her and she could feel her pain just as plain as a knife in the gut. It was devastating in its intensity, maddening in its unrelenting force. She wanted to curl up into a tight ball and just forget the world, block it all out. She wanted it all to go away and just leave her alone to her misery. She didn't want to move forward, was too busy obsessing over her mistakes like the perfectionist she was. She was Chief Lin Beifong for Avatar's sake, daughter of the mighty Toph Beifong! They didn't screw up, they didn't make mistakes. She was supposed to be strong, the strongest one there was! She wasn't supposed to be alone, separated from her husband! She was supposed to be out catching the bad guys and giving them their sweet desserts, just like she'd always said she would when she was a kid. She wanted to have a family, she wanted to do her job, she wanted to be just like her mother, she wanted to be with Tenzin…There were so many things that were wrong in her life, so many aches and pains, there was so much she wanted…it was almost unbearable.

She couldn't live like that for much longer, that much she knew. Sooner or later she'd lose it, flip her lid and go nuts. And then what? Some innocent bystander would get hurt? She might accidentally kill a criminal? No, she couldn't risk that. She couldn't hurt someone or kill them unintentionally; no one deserved to suffer because of her, and that included Tenzin and…herself.

A wave of realization crashed over both Lins; the only person making Lin miserable was herself. All she needed to do was get off of her high horse and apologize and try to work things out. She could actually listen to him for once, could offer calm inputs and suggestions where her ideas didn't line up with his. It was all so, so simple. And it was impossible for her to do.

The tears that other Lin had been holding back began to fall, streaming slowly down her beaten and haggard face. She was Lin Beifong, she was arrogant and hotheaded, stubborn to a fault, and tough. She wasn't strong though, not strong at all. At least, not like Tenzin was. She couldn't let her true emotions show, she couldn't express herself the way he could. She had always seen emotions as weakness and spirituality as a bunch of bunk. She had locked herself away from both, cutting herself off from what she desperately needed—an emotional and spiritual bond with Tenzin. Just loving him was not enough; she had to learn how to communicate to him and show him how much he was to her. She had to learn how to admit her flaws and show them to him, asking for his help. There was no doubt in her mind that he would help her either and he had, in fact, been trying to for a long time. But she had not admitted that she was a flawed being and had therefore rudely refused his help, becoming angered at the thought that there was something even remotely wrong with her.

Running away from her mistakes and flaws had let to her downfall, become her ultimate weakness. It had chased away that which she loved most and she wouldn't blame him if he chose to never return. He had tried, oh had he tried, for so long and for so hard that he had probably burned himself out. She didn't deserve him or his kindness and yet, as she sat there alone in that little closed off cell, she wanted him, no, needed him so bad. She was selfish and horrible; there was probably some other woman better suited to him out there but she wanted him all to herself, wanted to raise his children, wanted to grow old with him, wanted to do so many, many things…

A sob wrenched itself free of other Lin's mouth. She clasped her hands over her mouth in surprise, tears still flowing down her face. After a second the surprise was wiped away and her lips quivered as her eyes squinted and eyebrows worked her expression into one of agony.

She wanted him, she wanted her husband. She wanted him to save her from herself, wanted him to chase away the lingering doubts and fears she had in her mind. She wanted to feel whole again, she wanted to be Chief Lin Beifong once more.

Another heart wrenching sob worked its way out of her mouth and this time her eyebrows did not shoot up in surprise nor did her eyes widen in shock. This time she let it all out, this time she didn't silence her cries or try to push back the thoughts trying to overwhelm her. She had been running from it all for so long…she just wanted sweet, blissful relief. She had never been one prone to tears but now it felt good, to get the long wrapped up feelings off of her chest.

As her distress was reaching new levels and her cries reaching new intensities, there came a knock on the door. Other Lin attempted to muffle her cries almost immediately but was unsuccessful. Instead of responding she just clamped her mouth shut and put a hand across her face, trying to disappear inside herself.

"Lin? Lin, it's me. Please open up."

Both Lins' hearts had nearly stopped. They knew that voice, they knew that voice very well…it haunted their dreams and sweetened their nightmares, it was calm and stern, kind and warm.

"T-Tenzin?" the other Lin hiccupped. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I…" the other Tenzin hesitated, letting out a sigh before he continued. "I just wanted to be with you. I miss you."

That was all Lin—both of them—needed to hear.

The other Lin bended the door open and before the other Tenzin knew what was happening, she was in his arms, hugging him tightly. Tenzin, albeit a little surprised, embraced her gently, his own eyes tearing up as her lean body pressed against his. His arms tightened around her after a minute and a few tears leaked out from under his closed eyelids. After several minutes, the two parted, both teary-eyed and weary yet feeling happier than they had in months.

"Listen, Lin," other Tenzin began, "I've been meditating and thinking a lot while we were separated, and I—"

"I want to have a baby," other Lin cut him off suddenly, firmly. "I want to have a baby with you."

Other Tenzin blinked, surprised. Obviously he had not been expecting to hear that from her. "What?"

Other Lin snorted and gave him a small smile. "Have you gone deaf in the months that I was gone? Turned the radio up too loud and partied?"

Other Tenzin eyed her curiously, raising one thick eyebrow. Lin—both of them—noticed with amusement that his beard had grown quite long in her absence. "No, it's just…Lin, are you _sure_?"

Other Lin nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. And before you start going off about my job and stresses like that, we'll make it work." She grinned. "Knowing you, you probably have some grand thought out scheme so I can stay sane while rearing a child and fulfilling my duty as Chief."

Other Tenzin nodded, eyebrows furrowing together. "Yes. But it's not going to be easy on either one of us."

Other Lin closed her eyes and let out air through her nose, licking her lips. "I know. But it's what I want."

Other Tenzin almost hesitated before asking, "Why?"

Other Lin's eyes flew open and narrowed and she stomped her foot impatiently. "How about because I love you, you stupid Airhead! How about because I'm finally ready to admit that I have flaws and am ready to listen to what you say!" Her voice became softer now and her eyebrows upturned a little, giving her an appearance of remorse. "These last few months have been the worst of my life Tenzin…I had a lot to think about and I know I have a lot to work on. But…I'm not giving up. Not yet, not now. Not after everything we've done." She looked into his eyes pleadingly, her defenses down for the first time in a long time. "Look…I know I'm not the easiest person to live with. Heck, I drive myself crazy sometimes. But…if you're willing to give this—" –and here she gestured to the two of them—"—another shot than so am I."

Other Tenzin's eyes softened. "Lin…I…I don't think I've ever heard you…be so…" he paused, not sure what to say. He shrugged.

Other Lin laughed. "Heh. I know right? Old polarbear-dogs can learn new tricks."

Other Tenzin gave her a warm smile, his gentle eyes boring into her pale green. "Lin…of course I'm willing to give it another shot. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't, I wouldn't have married you if I wasn't." He put his hands on her shoulders and gave them a light squeeze. "You're my wife Lin and I intend to be with you for better or worse. Whether you like it or not."

"Yeah? Hm," Other Lin leaned her head to one side a little, studying the man she loved more than anything else in the whole world. It had taken her some time to see it, but he really was the most important thing in her life. Not her job, her heritage, or her duty could even begin to compare. "Well…you sure know how to pick 'em Tenzin."

Other Tenzin smiled again, the smile reaching up to his eyes. His feelings for her radiated out from his being and engulfed her, calming her, claiming her, reassuring her. He was hers and she was his. He was no Mr. Perfect and she was far from perfection but it didn't matter as long as they were together. There was nothing they couldn't handle, nothing they couldn't face.

"I love you Lin," Other Tenzin said softly, moving one hand to stroke her face lovingly.

Other Lin snorted. "I know."

Lin watched, her heart warming and shattering at the same time, as the Other Lin and Other Tenzin kissed passionately. That could have been her future, could have been her life. But it wasn't. It was another world, another time, another space.

She watched as the picture shifted suddenly, as images began to flash by her. They were filled with days—both dark ones with more heartache and bright ones with joy and laughter. She could see children, both Airbenders and Earthbenders alike, being born and raised. She could see the stresses that came with being a working mom and the dangers that came with being Chief. She could see the pain she still caused Tenzin on occasion and the worry she forced upon her family when she out for days on a mission. She could see it all—the good, the bad, the ugly. She could feel it all, could feel every emotion, every feeling, every thought. And despite the pain it caused her, the regret that it made grow up from the depths of her soul, it gave her comfort as well. Somewhere there was another Lin with another Tenzin enjoying her life that could have been but wasn't. Somewhere out there were her children, living, laughing, loving, crying, growing, and doing all the things that children did. Somewhere out there her legacy lived on, in another world.

"Tell me where the Avatar is and I'll let you keep your bending."

Lin's eyes flew open and suddenly she was before Amon again, the other world fleeing from her mind but not before imparting her with the strength to do what must be done.

"I won't tell you anything, you monster," she said fiercely, eyes blazing dangerously.

Amon moved towards her, placing his fingers in the vital spots that would take away her life, her bending. His thumb pressed into her forehead and her body was filled with pain beyond what she had ever experienced before. It was mind and body numbing torture; it felt as if her very soul were being sucked out of her skin. It didn't last longer for a few seconds though but it was enough to drain her and she fell forward.

Inside her mind, as everything started to go dark around her, came the last image that she had seen of her other self. She had been happy, leaning against Tenzin with his arm around her waist watching as their children—six of them in total—played with each other in the bright sun on Air Temple Island.

A/N: Just something quick I whipped up! Hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
